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TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said the figures show ‘Britain’s workforce is getting larger but poorer’ (Picture: PA)

A record number of Britons are having to work part-time because they cannot find permanent jobs, new figures reveal.

Nearly 30million people are now in employment – an all-time high – yet more than one in four are on reduced hours.

And a record 1.46million part-timers say they would like full-time jobs but are unable to find any.

The seemingly upbeat employment figures were hailed by David Cameron as ‘more proof our long-term plan for Britain is working’.

But critics said that they only masked a growing reliance on low-paid, low-quality jobs. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady added: ‘Britain’s workforce is getting larger but poorer.’

Disagreement: Esther McVey welcomed the figures (Picture: AFP/Getty)

A total of 29.96million people were in work last month, according to Office for National Statistics. The figure is the highest since records began in 1971, with an extra 177,000 vacancies filled between June and September.

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The number of people claiming jobseeker’s allowance fell for the 12th consecutive month to 1.31million.

Yet the workforce now includes a record 5.94million women and 2.15million men in part-time jobs. One in three of the men say they would like full-time work. Last year, average earnings rose by 0.8 per cent, the lowest since data was first compiled in 2001 and way below the rate of inflation.

But employment minister Esther McVey insisted: ‘This government is delivering on its promise to rebalance the economy, promote job creation and support people to get off benefits. There’s more work to do and we are not complacent but these are all very positive signs.’